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| United States Patent |
5,683,314
|
|
Musso
|
November 4, 1997
|
Water activated hopscotch game
Abstract
A water play version of the game of hopscotch is disclosed. A grid of
multiple game blocks is provided with each block having one or more small
showerhead-type spray nozzles connected by conduit to a water supply. Each
spray nozzle is controlled by a pressure-sensitive valve by which water
sprays through the nozzle whenever a participant steps or hops onto that
particular block. The blocks may be arranged in different patterns to play
other games and the spray nozzles may be controlled remotely to allow for
surprise or random spraying during gameplay.
| Inventors:
|
Musso; Anthony J. (300 Norwood Ave., Bessemer, AL 35020)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
783248 |
| Filed:
|
January 14, 1997 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
473/414 |
| Intern'l Class: |
A63B 067/00 |
| Field of Search: |
473/414
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| Re25474 | Nov., 1963 | O'Rear | 473/414.
|
| 3091454 | May., 1963 | Sam | 473/414.
|
| 3139281 | Jun., 1964 | Nicholson | 473/414.
|
| 3515385 | Jun., 1970 | Gunderson | 473/414.
|
| 4185819 | Jan., 1980 | Hartley | 473/414.
|
| 4733864 | Mar., 1988 | Casteel | 473/414.
|
| 4982959 | Jan., 1991 | Rudell et al. | 273/448.
|
| 5318307 | Jun., 1994 | Bouchard et al. | 273/348.
|
Primary Examiner: Grieb; William H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: May; Wm. Randall
Claims
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property right or
privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A water play version of the game of hopscotch comprising:
a plurality of interconnected grid squares having a frame and a platform
means;
spray means attached to said platform means of said grid squares;
conduit means flowably attached to said spray means for supplying liquid to
said spray means;
valve means attached to said platform means of said grid squares for
controlling the flow of liquid to said spray means; and,
a control means for directing and controlling the flow of liquid from a
source to said conduit means.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frame of said grid square is
rigid and wherein said grid square further comprises a support means
attached to said frame for supporting said platform means.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said platform means is semi-rigid.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spray means comprise one or more
spray nozzles.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spray means are positioned along
the perimeter of said platform means.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conduit means comprises a
plurality of flexible tubing members which flowably connect said spray
means, through said valve means, to said control means.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said valve means comprises a normally
closed, spring-operated, pinch-type release valve which is attached to one
side of said platform means and centrally positioned within said frame of
said grid square.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a
manifold means for flowably connecting said conduit means to said liquid
source.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control means further comprises a
plurality of control valves for remote and random control of the flow of
liquid to said conduit means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to outdoor amusement devices and more
particularly to a water play version of the game of hopscotch.
As is well known, the game of hopscotch is a child's game in which a player
tosses a small stone or other similar object into one section after
another of a grid usually drawn or marked on the ground, pavement or other
flat surface. Once the stone is tossed by the player into a particular
grid section, the player then hops from grid section to grid section to
pick up the stone after each toss.
Prior art enhancements to the game of hopscotch have included such things
as inflatable grids and flexible carpet grids as disclosed in U.S. Pat.
Nos. 4,185,819 and 4,733,864 to Hartley and Casteel, respectively.
The present invention is directed to a water play version of this old game
wherein a player is sprayed, automatically or randomly, as the player hops
through the grid sections of the game.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of this invention to
provide method and apparatus for a water play version of the game of
hopscotch.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a water play version of the
game of hopscotch comprises a grid of multiple, interconnected game blocks
wherein each block includes one or more small showerhead-type outlets
connected by conduit to a control means and to a water supply.
An objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus for a water
play version of the game of hopscotch wherein a player, through the act of
hopping onto a grid square, activates one or more spray nozzles which
sprays the player with water as the player hops through the game grid.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide pressure sensitive
means, located within interconnected grid squares, for activating spray
nozzles for spraying a player with water as the player hops through the
hopscotch grid.
A further objective of the present invention is to provide apparatus for a
water play version of the game of hopscotch wherein a player can be
randomly sprayed with water, or receive a "surprise spraying", by remotely
controlled spray nozzles located within the game grid squares.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent from the following more particular description
of preferred embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the various
views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being
placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the grid squares of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a pinch valve used in the embodiment of FIG. 1 to
activate spray nozzles during game play.
FIG. 4 is a front view of the pinch valve of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an exploded, perspective view of the pinch valve of FIGS. 3 & 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1 shows a water
play version of the game of hopscotch 100 comprising a plurality of
interconnected grid squares 110; multiple spray means 120 attached to said
grid squares 110; conduit means 130 for supplying water to said spray
means 120; a plurality of valve means 140 for controlling the flow of
water to said spray means 120; and a control means 150 for directing and
controlling the flow of water from a source 200 to said conduit means 130.
As shown in FIG. 2, the grid squares 110 may be interconnected and arranged
in any manner desired by the game players. In this embodiment the grid
squares 110 are interconnected by a plurality of bolt means 111 and are
arranged into a typical hopscotch game grid. It should be noted that the
grid squares 110 may be arranged into different patterns for playing games
other than the game of hopscotch, such as the game of "four-square". Each
grid square 110 of this embodiment comprises a rigid grid frame 112; four
(4) corner supports 113; and a semi-rigid, numbered, grid square platform
114 partially supported by said corner supports 113. Each grid square 110
is provided with spray means 120 comprising one or more showerhead-type
spray nozzles 121 located on the perimeter of the grid platform 114 of
said grid square 110. The spray nozzles 121 of each grid square 110 are
flowably connected to said conduit means 130 and are controlled by said
valve means 140. Said valve means 140 comprises a pinch-type release valve
141 as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 & 5. Each pinch valve 141 controls the flow of
water through said conduit means 130 to the spray nozzle(s) 121 of each
grid square 110. As best seen in FIG. 5, each pinch valve 141 operates
from a normally closed position and comprises a valve stand 142, a valve
spring 143, a pinch bar assembly 144 and a valve cap 145 slidably
positioned on said valve stand 142 as shown. Downward pressure applied to
the valve cap 145 causes the pinch bar assembly 144 to open thus allowing
water to pass through the tubing member 131 and on to one or more spray
nozzles 121 as best seen in FIGS. 3 & 4. The pinch valve 141 is attached
to, and is centrally positioned beneath, the grid platform 114 of each
said grid square 110 so that flexing of the grid platform 114 causes said
valve 141 to open and close. The conduit means 130 comprises a plurality
of flexible tubing members 131 which flowably connect the spray nozzles
121 of each grid square 110 through the square's valve means 140 to the
control means 150. The control means 150 comprises a manifold means 151
connected to said water source 200 for directing the flow of water from
said source 200 to the plurality of flexible tubing members 131 supplying
the spray nozzles 121 of said grid squares 110. As an optional game
variation, the control means 150 may further comprise multiple control
valves 152 for remote and random control of the flow of water through each
of the flexible tubing members 131 supplying the spray nozzles 121 of each
grid square 110.
The grid platform 114 of each grid square 110 is sufficiently flexible, and
the valve means 140 attached thereto sufficiently sensitive, so that the
weight and force of a child hopping or stepping onto said platform 114 is
enough to cause said valve 140 to open and to allow water to reach the
spray nozzle(s) 121 of said grid square 110 thereby spraying the child
with water.
The optional remote control valves 152 would allow an operator to randomly
choose grid squares 110 in which to activate thereby providing for
"surprise spraying" of a player as the player advances along the game grid
100.
While the invention has been particularly shown and described with
reference to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by
those skilled in the art that various alterations in form, detail and
construction may be made therein without departing from the spirit and
scope of the invention.
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